First Hi-Def Pics Of Earthrise From The Moon Taken By Japanese Spacecraft

The lunar explorer "KAGUYA" has photographed the first high-definition image of an Earth-rise, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) announced. The spacecraft is in lunar orbit at an altitude of about 100 km (63 miles) and about 380,000 km (237,500 miles) from the earth. Pretty awesome, one small step for man, one giant leap for Japan.

Implications - Earth-rise can be defined as "a phenomenon seen only from satellites that travel around the Moon." Even if a person is standing on the Moon, they cannot see an Earth-rise because they always see Earth in the same spot. The incredible video shows Earth as a tiny blue dot from far away with nothing else around it in the black sky.